A college's ethnic diversity is indicated by the student body's equal inclusion of students from different backgrounds . Students at WMU are mostly White with a smaller Black population. The school has low racial diversity. 28% percent of students are minorities or people of color (BIPOC). The ethnic breakdown is detailed in the following table.
| Race | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| White |
72%
|
| Black |
12%
|
| Hispanic |
5%
|
| Asian |
2%
|
| American Indian / Alaskan |
0%
|
| Hawaiian / Pacific Islander |
0%
|
| Two or more races |
3%
|
| International |
4%
|
| Race Unknown |
1%
|
There are 11% more female students than male students enrolled at Western Michigan University with a gender ratio of 53% women to 47% men. Compared to the US average of 56% female students, WMU has a higher gender diversity than other US colleges and is very inclusive of both genders.
| Gender | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
47%
|
| Women |
53%
|
| Gender | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
8,054
|
| Women |
8,946
|
WMU serves a very low number of students outside of Michigan, with 79 percent of the student body residing in-state.
| Origin | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| In State |
79%
|
| Out of State |
19%
|
| Foreign |
2%
|
| Unknown Location |
0%
|
25% of students can be considered low-income as indicated by their receipt of Federal Pell Grant Aid.
| Segment | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Students Over 25 Years Old | 13.1% |
| Part time Undergrads | 15.6% |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=172699 IPEDS survey data for Western Michigan University.